Raw Rutabaga and Crispy Sage Pizza

March 25th, 2012

This post is also available in: French

I recently re-discovered rutabaga and have been adding it to all sorts of recipes. I go through these phases with ingredients – one will become my favourite, and I will try to squeeze it into every dish I make. This lasts until I feel like I’ve come to know and understand the ingredient’s complexities and general temper. Then I can move on to the next thing.
Rutabaga is a root vegetable that has a mild flavour and hints at the freshness of a cabbage or turnip. Then it’s got a very delicate sweetness, which makes it versatile and great for both raw and cooked dishes. It is surprisingly delicious when simply peeled and sliced for a snack, maybe dipped in some almond butter. Steaming and roasting also yields very tasty results, of course.
As far as I know, rutabaga is a fairly uncommon ingredient. Let us correct that.

It has been a very long week for Paloma and I. Our papa has been away, taking a much needed break to do what he loves most – skiing in the mountains of Utah. We missed him dearly, and spent a lot of time together, going for walks, learning Russian, painting, and cooking this colourful pizza.

For the pizza crust, you can use almost any mild vegetable – rutabaga, jicama, zucchini, squash, or any mixture of those. We loved the crust topped with a spicy hummus spread, green olives, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and crispy sage. There are many possibilities with the toppings and herbs on this neutral crust – a perfect opportunity to get creative and enjoy some rutabaga.

Rutabaga and Crispy Sage Pizza

Pizza Crust
2 1/2 cups rutabaga, jicama, zucchini, etc., or combination – cubed
2 1/2 cups walnuts – soaked for 1 hour
1/2 cup ground flax seeds
1/4 cups hemp seeds
1/2 tablespoon sea salt
2 tablespoons purified water, more if needed

In a food processor, grind the vegetables into small pieces, making sure not to puree. Transfer into a large bowl. Place the walnuts into the food processor and pulse until choped into tiny pieces. Add the walnuts to the bowl with vegetables. Add the rest of the ingredients into the bowl. Mix to make a sticky dough, adjusting the amount of water if necessary.

Spread the dough on Teflex-lined dehydrator trays, forming a round pizza shape, or any other shape desired. I made one large and one small round pizza, utilizing two trays. Dehydrate at 115F for 6-8 hours. Flip, peel away the Teflex liner, and dehydrate on screens for another 3 hours or so. Once both sides are dry enough to handle, cut your pizzas into slices and dehydrate for another hour, or until the crust is steady and firm.

Spicy Hummus Spread
2 cups cashews – soaked for 2 hours
2 tablespoons raw sesame tahini
1-2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
1/2 cup purified water or more if needed

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, with the exception of water. Add water gradually, until the hummus reaches a smooth and fluffy consistency.

Green Olive Tapenade
1 1/2 cups green olives such as Castelvetrano or Green Cerignola – pitted
1 handful fresh dill or parsley
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Chop the olives and herbs into small pieces and mix in the rest of the ingredients. You can also combine everything but the herbs in a food processor, adding in the herbs at the very end.

Marinated Mushrooms
2 cups shiitake or other mushrooms
a few sage leaves (optional)
1/2 cup each orange, lime, and lemon juice – freshly squeezed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Mix all marinade ingredients and pour over the mushrooms. Stir to cover and marinate for 1-2 hours at room temperature. Drain.
Optionally, dehydrate the marinated sage leaves to a crispy consistency and use as a topping for pizza.

Assembly
Spread a thin layer of spicy hummus on the crust. Top with cherry tomatoes, marinated mushrooms, olive tapenade and/or olives. Sprinkle with crushed crispy sage.

Tags: mushrooms, olives, raw, recipe, rutabaga, sage, savoury, tomato, vegan

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